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“She said she was alht she was probably overstating, perhaps not re accurately,” Jondalar said “How coave him a quizzical look She didn’t know he hadn’t quite believed the S’Armuna
“It was too painful, Jondalar Bodoa was like a sister I would have been happy to co-ainst it He said they had pro You said she is One Who Serves? Perhaps it was for the best, but she was so angry when she left I pleaded with her to wait for the season to change before trying to cross the glacier, but she wouldn’t listen I’lad to know she sends her love Do you think she really meant it?”
“Yes, I’o back to her home,” Jondalar said “Her uncle had already left this world, and her er caused
her toShe helped an evil woh she didn’t kno evil Attaroa would beco up for it, now I think she has found affir her Cave overcoh she row into it, like you did, mother Bodoa was remarkable, she even discovered a way to turn mud into stone”
“Mud into stone? Jondalar, you do sound like a traveling Story-Teller,” Marthona said “How can I knohat to believe if you are going to tell such incredible tales?”
“Believethe truth,” Jondalar said with perfect seriousness and no subtle word gaoes froends and histories toJourney and seen lanced at Ayla “If you had not seen it, would you have believed people could ride on the backs of horses or s to tell you that you will find hard to believe, and sos to show you that will make you doubt your own eyes”
“All right, Jondalar You have convinced ain … even if I do find what you say hard to believe,” she said, and then smiled, with a mischievous charm that Ayla had not seen before For a er, and Ayla understood where Jondalar got his smile
Marthona picked up her cup of wine and sipped it slowly, encouraging the When they were done, she took the bowls and skewers away, gave the knives before they put them away, and poured them more wine
“You’ve been gone a long ti she was choosing her words carefully “I understand youJourney You, too, Ayla,” she said, looking at the young wo time to tell them all, I would think I hope you do plan to stay … for sonificantly at Jondalar “You h ita place of your own … nearby … sometime…”
Jondalar grinned “Yes, ain This is ho to stay, we both are, unless someone objects Is that the story you want to hear? Ayla and I are not mated yet, but ill be I already told Zelandoni—she was here just before you caot home so we could be joined here and have her tie the knot, at the Matri,” he added with vehemence
Marthona smiled her happiness “It would be nice to see a child born to your hearth, perhaps even of your spirit, Jondalar,” she said
He looked at Ayla and smiled “I feel the same way,” he said
Marthona hoped he was i what it seemed, but she didn’t want to ask He should be the one to tell her She just wished he wouldn’t try to be so evasive about as important a matter as the possibility of children born to her son’s hearth
“You ht be pleased to know,” Jondalar continued, “Thonolan left a child of his spirit, if not his hearth, with at least one Cave, maybe more A Losadunai wo, discovered she had been blessed soon after we stopped She’s mated now and has two children Laduna told ible Losadunai man found a reason to visit She had her pick, but she nairl She looks a lot like Folara used to, when she was little
“Too bad they live so far away, and across a glacier That’s a long way to travel, although on the way back, it seehtfully “I never did like traveling that much I would never have traveled as far as I did, if it hadn’t been for Thonolan…” Suddenly he noticed his mother’s expression, and when he realized who about, his smile faded